ELLENBURG CENTER, N.Y. (WCAX) – Cell phones at schools in New York could be a thing of the past as Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed a school cell phone ban to state lawmakers.
Northern Adirondack Central School is no stranger to a cell phone ban. An eighth grade history teacher at the school, Craig Dumas says they’ve had one for roughly eight years, but didn’t fully enforce the ban until this year. He says their policy requires students to have their phones locked away in lockers during the school day.
He adds the change has been transformative, encouraging students to interact and lowering anxiety in the classroom. “[Students are] more on task, a lot less distractions in the classroom. Those types of things we have seen a huge increase in,” Dumas said
Parents who need to contact their children during the school day are able to do so through the front office.
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